It is imperative that the law be readily accessible for all to read and use. That is a central requirement of our democratic system. Accordingly, we strongly believe that standards incorporated by reference into federal regulations should be widely available to the public, without charge, and that such standards should be deemed in the public domain rather than subject to copyright restrictions.

Collectively, our organizations work on a range of public policy issues, including health, safety, consumer protection, the environment, open government, and civil rights. Allowing free access to standards incorporated by reference will strengthen the capacity of organizations like ours to engage in rulemaking processes, analyze issues, and work for solutions to public policy challenges. Such open access to standards will help protect public safety, promote economic opportunity, increase access to justice, and strengthen citizen participation in our democracy.

We ask the Office of the Federal Register to issue a final rule that goes beyond the NPRM and requires that standards incorporated by reference in proposed rules and in final rules be available for free on the Internet.

connect with us

our mission

Founded in 1981, the Project On Government Oversight is a nonpartisan independent watchdog that champions good government reforms. POGO’s investigations into corruption, misconduct, and conflicts of interest achieve a more effective, accountable, open, and ethical federal government.